Donald Trump as High in the Dark Triad

Trump as narcissistic, Machiavellian, and high in psychopathy

The current political season is unique in many ways. We are seeing a historically unprecedented race for the president of the United States - with the first-ever female candidate nominated by a major party, in Hillary Clinton, and with a highly unique, somewhat-unorthodox Republican candidate in former-reality-TV star and renowned businessman Donald Trump. I have never in my life seen so much passion and dialog regarding a presidential election.

As is often the case in an election, much attention is being paid to the personality traits of the candidates. Is Hillary honest? Is she empathetic? And what about Donald? Is he intelligent? Is he altruistic and community-oriented? Is he kind?

On this point, some recent analysts, including the Washington Post’s Robert Kagan and Vanity Fair’s Keith Olbermann, have questioned whether Donald Trump is sane - which, of course, is a pretty important consideration in determining the president of the United States.

As someone trained as a quantitatively oriented personality and social psychologist, I thought it’d be useful for me to chime in on this point. Kagan and Olbermann are both very bright thinkers and writers, to be sure. But perhaps I could, from my perspective as a professional psychological researcher, help shed light on the nature of Donald Trump’s character.

Is Donald Trump Insane?

Keith Olbermann’s recent analysis of Trump’s personality is well-researched, thoughtful, and entertaining. However, as a professional psychological researcher, I need to clarify a major conceptual point in his analysis. Olbermann essentially asks if Trump is sane by determining how Trump would (or should) score on a measure of “psychopathy.” The assumption here is that being “high on psychopathy” (which, perhaps not surprisingly, is where Olbermann’s analysis of Trump lands) is equivalent to meaning “is insane.” In fact, in the parlance of modern empirical psychology, this is not exactly the case.

Psychopathy (see Jonason, Kaufman, Webster, & Geher, 2013) is a personality trait dimension that revolves around the tendency to genuinely not care about others. Someone who scores high in psychopathy reports feeling little to no empathy for others along with demonstrating little to no care for what happens to folks other than themselves. While this is not a fully flattering portrait of a person, to be sure, it’s not the same as being diagnosable via the DSM.

This said, in listening to Olbermann’s analysis of Trump in terms of the trait dimension of psychopathy, I got to wondering. In the current landscape of research in personality psychology, psychopathy is famous as an element of a broader cluster of personality traits known as the Dark Triad (see Jonason, Kaufman, Webster, & Geher, 2013). Olbermann makes a very strong case that Trump fits the psychopathic element of the Dark Triad. The question here is this: Does Trump fit the full suite of characteristics that underlie the Dark Triad?

Psychopathy: The tendency to show little regard for the thoughts, feelings, and outcomes of others.

Narcissism: The tendency for one to show a particularly high focus on oneself.

Machiavellianism: The tendency to manipulate others for one’s own personal gain.

An interesting thing about the Dark Triad is that these are actually pretty distinct concepts conceptually. Not caring about others (psychopathy) isn’t inherently connected with caring too much about oneself (narcissism), for instance. And neither trait is conceptually and directly related to the tendency to manipulate others for one’s own gain (Machiavellianism). However, as described in a recent book that I wrote with Scott Barry Kaufman, Mating Intelligence Unleashed, these traits do, in fact, often “cling together empirically” - that is, scoring high in one of these domains is often predictive of scoring high in the two other domains. In our book, Scott and I argue that these traits cling together largely because this suite of characteristics work together to effectively advance the goals of the individual. Thus, being high in one of these traits alone may confer few benefits to the individual - however, being high in all three ends up, for better or worse, being a strong and documented catalyst for success in many life domains. As we argue in our book, this fact helps explain the “appeal of the bad boy.”

Does Donald Trump Show Signs of Being High in the Dark Triad?

So the question before us now, then, is whether Donald Trump fits the template of someone who is “high in the Dark Triad of personality” and, if so, might this help explain his extraordinarily high levels of success in so many life domains?

* Is Trump psychopathic?

Of course, as with any of these questions, the answer is something of a judgment call and needs to be considered in such context. This said, I think there are plenty of examples to draw upon that show a lack of concern for others on the part of Donald Trump. Several comments he has made about Muslims, in a large-scale manner, for instance, have shown something of an inability to empathize with individual Muslims. His recent highly publicized arguments regarding the late and highly decorated Army Capt. Humayun Khan and Khan’s family, for instance, were seen as questionable by many. By going after Khan’s mother and father, who had obviously suffered enormously due to the loss of their middle son, a case could be made that Trump lacked empathy and judgment in his public social interactions. This example seems to fit with the definition of psychopathy very well. A Google search that I just conducted on the terms "Trump" and "Psychopath," by the way, just turned up approximately 613,000 results.

* Is Trump a narcissist?

A Google search that I just conducted of the terms “Trump” and “narcissist” just turned up approximately 744,000 results. That’s almost a million. In fact, much has been made about the narcissistic tendencies of Donald Trump. Clearly he has a tendency to name things after himself, which is something of a sign. Every time I drive into NYC via the West Side Highway, I pass Trump Towers of the west side - including hundreds of high-end properties found in a series of large conspicuous buildings. You can’t really miss them! There’s Trump steak, Trump wine, Trump Taj Mahal, etc. I think even Donald himself might have to admit to having at least a splash of narcissism.

* Is Trump Machiavellian and manipulative?

To be fair, being manipulative is, perhaps unfortunately, nearly a standard element of modern-day politics. So it’s not like Trump is the only manipulative candidate out there. This said, do we have evidence of Trump manipulating others for his own gain? A Google search that I just conducted with the terms “Trump” and “manipulative” just turned up approximately 490,000 results. Clearly someone has thought about this before. Perhaps the most telling example of Trump’s manipulative nature that I’ve come across is found in a Washington Post article that summarizes several instances of Trump masquerading as his own (reportedly contrived) publicist named “John Barron.” Barron-but-really-Trump defended many of Trump’s actions (over the phone) regarding various scandals in communications with such high-profile media outlets as People Magazine. This seems like something of a textbook case of Machiavellian behavior - manipulating others for one’s own gain in a dishonest and selfish manner.

Bottom Line

As Scott Barry Kaufman and I have written about in detail (2013), there are multiple paths to greatness and success in life. Many reach the top by being conspicuously caring - demonstrating a lifelong dedication to their broader communities and to helping others in their social worlds. Think Mother Theresa. On the other hand, there are relatively dark ways to reach the top in nearly all human social contexts. Displaying characteristics of the Dark Triad - being uncaring about others, self-absorbed, and manipulative - for better or worse, seems to also be an effective route to the top. It may not be a nice approach to social life, but it can be a successful one - particularly if others in the community allow this kind of strategy to succeed. Does Donald Trump demonstrate the features of the Dark Triad? Based on my expert opinion having published extensively in this area of psychology, I think the answer is this: Absolutely and unequivocally.

HEY PEOPLE,,,,,,,,,,,,, SCREW DELUSIONAL DONALD BEFORE HE SCREWS YOU, ISN'T THIS HIS MOTTO........BUT I GUESS HE HAS ALREADY SCREWED ALL OF YOU AND HIS OWN PARTY AND LAUGHING THE WHOLE TIME, THIS IS WHAT IS THE MOST DISTURBING .........
THAT HE DOESN'T CARE HOW MUCH HARM HE IS DOING...........HE IS A DISGRACE,,,,
THERE MUST BE A PROVISION IN THE PROTOCOL FOR A RUNNING CANDIDATE TO HAVE AT LEAST BEHAVIOR THAT DOES NOT RESEMBLE A TERRORIST.............

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MUST BE VERY WEAK AND DONALD IS COUNTING ON THAT , SO HE CAN JUST SHOVE THAT IN THEIR FACE TOO HOW WEAK THEY ARE,
AND LAUGH ABOUT IT AFTER THEY PAY HIM HIS RANSOM OF A GAZILLION $$$ TO GET HIM OUT.............. HE IS HOLDING HIS OWN PARTY HOSTAGE...........
SO WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF TERRORIST, HE IS BLACKMAILING YOU AND HOLDING YOU ALL HOSTAGE ALL THE WHILE...........AND USING INTIMIDATION I AM SURE BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MEMBER AND BEING A POMPOUS ASS, AND NOW THEY REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE REALLY DEALING WITH..
SO WHAT DO YOU DO ?
WELL.....YOU START TELLING ON HIM........USE HIS TACTICS, TELL IT LIKE IT REALLY IS, WHAT IT IS LIKE TO REALLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH DELUSIONAL DONALD AND THE CRAZY...........START TALKING AND TELLING WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING WITH HIM BEHIND THE SCENES............HE WOULD DO IT TO YOU AND YOU KNOW THAT IS TRUE, HE WOULD RAT YOU ALL OUT FOR SURE....RAT HIM OUT FIRST...........CATCH HIM AT HIS OWN GAME, SET HIM UP, TAPE HIM SAYING ALL THE STUPID THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T YET HEARD..........IT WOULDN'T BE HARD TO DO, HE IS AN EASY PERSON TO EXPOSE.......AS HE HAS ALREADY EXPOSED WHO HE REALLY IS, THE LONGER YOU SUPPORT THIS IDIOT THE LONGER YOU ALL LOOK LIKE A VERY WEAK PARTY THAT CANNOT STAND UP TO THIS TERRORIST... IN THE MIDST OF YOUR OWN PARTY EXPOSE HIM..........EXPOSE HIM........EXPOSE HIM.....FOR THE RAT THAT HE IS NOW.........

HE IS COUNTING ON YOUR WEAKNESS, YOU ALL NEED TO OPEN UP ABOUT HOW CRAZY HE IS AND TURN ON HIM NOW BEFORE HE SCREWS YOU WORSE........AND HE WILL
PAST BEHAVIOR PREDICTS FUTURE BEHAVIOR.............
WHAT DOES HE LOOK LIKE NOW.......

HE THINKS THIS IS ALL FUN.......THAT IS JUST HOW VERY SICK THIS MAN IS...
WHEN YOU HAVE TO ASK HIS CHILDREN TO HELP ......YOU KNOW HE IS NOT MENTALLY SANE....... YOU ARE LOOKING AT A PERSON THAT AS A PRESIDENT WOULD MOST CERTAINLY BE IMPEACHED AND THEN THE COUNTRY LOSES BECAUSE ALL THE FOCUS AGAIN WOULD BE ON DELUSIONAL DONALD INSTEAD OF OUR COUNTRY AND ITS PROBLEMS

The problem with your assessment is:
1. Trump is always responding to real issues and events which affect real people - the national psyche - possibly why he won the nomination - not psychopathy - response to others and maybe the actual US psyche.
2. Naming something after one's self if one has a positive view of quality that only one by virtue of their high standards guarantees (or hopes to by their name) is not narcissism but quality assurance by Name - a reason why lawyers (or politicians) sign documents.
3. Responding to things in the popular psyche via harsh means while never ideal as it disadvantages some over others, is not Machiavellian. Ends justifies the means is not correct. A group which harbours violence in its belief system and has an aim of global domination for its belief by force, is a clear and present danger. Islam is that, as a competing view in comparison to say, the USA constitution. You might equate it to the few British left behind in the USA, trying to take The US back after independence.
4. Internet hits on topics don't give context and is no evidence of traits as assumed.
5. Insanity assumes a person's mind does not work within the bounds of normality mind function, within wide boundaries of normality (more so in a Capitalist democracy). In many ways the shift to the left is being met, with a shift to the right, as in any adversarial system - eg. science, protesting. This seems a healthy balancing of the community mind.
6. To make America great again, is not a bad dream and vision, you can hardly say some of Trump's ideas are unreasonable. Most agree with them, irrespective of racial and secular flexibility, as stupid as they might sound.
7. You could say Trump is sane, but is America sane ? If "normality" marks sanity (I don't think it should), if America were insane and Trump were insane, wouldn't that make both sane ? By any reasonable person who represented the public psyche public interest.
8. Insane (incompetent) is Obama calling himself a feminist, playing to women, when feminism means equality (for men too). The assumption that women are oppressed, or lesser is hardly true. Women have always thought they were princesses, now just with guns and power - scary really.
9. Obama killing Bin Laden - that's like killing Jason Bourne - his #1 Saudi ally recruit. Or killing Saddam, the same, allowing the Shias to take over the Middle East. Maybe he was just trying to create a new war, for Trump to fight. How nice to barrack for Trump this way.
10. The sane person will help the US. Obama tried welfare the US is in decline. Trump wants to try vision and valuing the US first, to develop national pride and industry, so the country can help itself. The USA is like Trump tower, something you are proud of so you put your name on it.
Id say that's sane and maybe unselfish, even servant like. If you cant fix yourself inside, how can you bless others. You are divided and will fall. Lets hope division isn't a US insanity in split personality, come 2017, as it has been normal, for so long, but an ongoing response to real issues, as is right for any mind, self, local, national, or global.

"But perhaps I could, from my perspective as a professional psychological researcher, help shed light on the nature of Donald Trump’s character."

"Based on my expert opinion having published extensively in this area of psychology, I think the answer is this: Absolutely and unequivocally."

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Similar to the last poster, I would ask that you please be aware of the fact that you are presenting your assessment as a psychological professional, with the consequence that it carries the weight of expertise. I do not like Trump myself, but it disturbs me that a psychological professional would comment so drastically on a person's personality (public figure or not) without citing any direct contact with that person and while citing the results of a Google search as a form of evidence. I would be less disturbed if you had presented your opinion as a personal one, but throwing your credentials (and own research) into the mix suggests to me that you are trying to make a case as an expert, giving your assessment -- despite its questionably reliable citations -- the appearance of fact. I would also be less disturbed if you invited other professionals -- particularly those with differing perspectives -- to comment on your work and if you had indicated that your thoughts should be taken with a "grain of salt" (instead of presenting them as your "absolute and unequivocal" conviction). Thank you.

As I have read other articles by Dr. Geher it is obvious he despises Donald Trump. This article, like all his others, is simply to point out to the "uneducated" American public what a bad choice they made. Perhaps he should do research into this topic on Hillary. She has had her eyes on going down in history as the first woman president for years. She has been accused, not convicted, of criminal acts to achieve this. Perhaps an objective study of both candiates would work better to prove his points in this article would be more convincing than his credentials.

When I got to your second "Google search" result, I gave up on this article as unscientific and ineptly written.

If I perform a Google search on "Jesus psychopath," I get 616,000 results. Come on, man. Exercise a little critical thought when producing "evidence." I personally believe that Trump is a malignant psychopath with my layman's understanding of psychology (I write novels and research psychology to better understand what might motivate my characters). But a tally of freaking GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS is NOT any kind of evidence for ANYTHING. Get serious, man.

This childish article is how I will remember "Psychology Today". What a joke - a biased smear job based on google searched and Keith Olbermann?
Are there no editors at Psychology Today? I'm not even interested in finding out. A childish article like this just wrecks their brand.

I'm no fan of Trump, but anyone can easily observe that any person reaching the level of Presidency is going to exhibit quite a significant amount of dark triad behaviour. This should be obvious.
As for the article - my HS age children write better, and would be sent back for a rewrite if they handed this in. A waste of time to even comment.